Ball propelling and catching toy



Dec. 10, 1940. H. c. HANSEN B ALL PROPELLING AND CATCHING TOY Filed Jan. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. C.- ffcz nse/z H-sn rgg BY% 2 Walk h mMf ATTORNEYS.

H. C. HANSEN BALL PROPELLING AND GATCHING TOY Dec. 10, 1940.

Filed Jan. 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C. Hans em ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 10, 1940 BALL PROPELLING AND OATCHING TOY Henry G. Hansen, Chicago, Ill.,' assignor of onehalf to Gertrude Fladoos, Chicagmlll.

Application January 2, 1940, Serial No. 312,034

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved amusement device of the type adapted for receiving and propelling a ball, and relates more particularly to an,expanding and contracting ball propelling and receiving toy involving the development of skill in operation.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a ball propelling and receiving toy having a frame hinged at. its central portion and complementary rigid wing members pivotally connected to outer portions of the frame and provided with a flexible ball receiving member extending between the wings, the device preferably having resilient means operating between the frame and the wing members for biasing the latter toward a normal position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a ball propelling and receiving toy by which the ball is not handled directly by the player, but is received or caught by contracting the complementary portions of the toy and propelled by expanding these complementaryportions, the speed of propulsion being dependent upon the quickness of the expansion. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the type described by which a ball is propelled from within the device by outward movement of the hands of the player and the ball is caught by the player moving his hands inwardly while positioning the device for receipt of the ball as it travels through the air.

These and other objects of the invention will be observed upon a consideration of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a toy constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the construction of the handle portions of the toy;

Fig. 4 is a view showing a player with a ball caught in the toy and ready for the propelling movement; and

Fig. 5 is a view showing the device in the expanded position by which a ball is propelled.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an amusement device by which it is possible to develop considerable skill in catching and propelling a ball without the use of the player's hands. The device operates upon a contracting and expanding principle which enables the player to entrap a ball thrown through the air and to propel the received ball, the accuracy and speed of the propulsion depending to a considerable extent on the skill of the player. The element of skill also is a common factor in the receiving operation, thus providing a device'by which an amusing game may be played by one or more players.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings there is provided an open frame having side sections III and H hingedly connected together as shown at I2. These side sections are relatively long and may be of the order of 6 or 8 inches in length,depending upon such factors as the size of the ball with which the game is played.

At its outer end the side section I0 is provided with an outwardly turned portion I3 constituting a handle by which the player may grasp the device. A similar handle I4 is provided on the outer portion of the frame member II.

Adjacent the handle portion I3 of the side section I6 is provided a cross bar I5. -A wing member I6 is pivotally secured about the bar I5 and the free end of the wing member extends downwardly toward the hinge portion 12 of the frame. It will be noted that the wing member I2 is relatively short as compared with the'dimensions of the side section I0. A rubber shock pad I! is provided in the wing member I5. Preferably the wing member I6 is composed of a metallic plate having rigid characteristics. The plate may be perforated as shown at I8 or it may be of slottedor other suitable construction.

Between the bar I5 and the hinge member I2 there is provided a spring I9, this spring extending across and being attached to'the opposite portions of the side section I0 and passing on the outer side of the wing member I6. The spring I9 also passes through an eye member 20 which is attached to the back of the wing member I6, thereby effecting a resilient connection between the wing member I 6 and the side section II] which biases the wing member toward a normal position.

The side section II of the frame has an upper bar 2| about which is pivotally engaged a wing member 22 of similar construction to the wing member 16. A spring 23 extends across the side section I I of the frame and has its ends attached to the latter. This spring passes about the wing member 22 and through an eye member 24 secured to the back thereof, thereby forming a resilient connection between the wing member 22 and the side section II which biases the wing member toward a normal position.

The bottom edge of the wing member 22 is turned over as shown at 25 and a pin 26 extends through the resulting cylindrical opening. To, the opposite ends of the pin 26 are pivotally attached the link members 21. The free end of the link members have extending between them a pin 28.

The lower end of the wing member l6 likewise is turned over as shown at 29 to form a cylindrical bearing or opening for the pin 30. The opposite ends of the pin 30 have attached to them the pivotal link members 3|, and the latter have extending between their free ends a pin 32.

Between the pin members 28 and 32 there extends a flexible ball receiving and propelling member which preferably is formed of a strong material such as canvas, this member being indicated at 33. It will be seen that the canvas ball receiving and propelling member is folded and.- secured to provide loops encompassing the pins 28 and 32. Any suitable type of fold may be employed for this purpose.

The degree of flexibility of the ball receiving and propelling member may vary considerably, although it is preferred that the structure does not have too great a flexibility or lack of strength.

The device described will be seen to consist of two complementary portions, each of which is of the same construction as the other. to operate the device the player grasps the handles I3 and M in opposite hands and thev propelling operation is effected by the player quickly spreading apart the side sections of the frame member as shown in Fig. 5. To start the game a ball is placed in the device as shown in Fig. 4 and this also is the position the ball normally will have when it is caught by a player. The resilient springs l9 and 23 tend to bias the wing member to a normal position which may vary considerably but which insures these wing members against flying outwardly during the collapsing operation. Since the-wing members and the flexible ball receiving and propelling member are of a combined length somewhat less than the combined length of the side sections l0 and H of the frame, the side sections do not reach a completely expanded position during the propelling operation. The angular position of the side sections at the position of maximum expansion enables the player again to collapse the side sections with ease and the springs 19 and 23 draw the wing members back into position during this collapsing operation.

Where a single player is employing the device it is possible for the player to stand adjacent a wall and alternatively propel the ball fromthe device against the wall and catch it upon rebound of the ball. In catching the ball some skill is required in properly positioning the device and closing it at the right moment to entrap the ball between the wing members. It is not necessary that the ball be received far enough in the device for it to contact the propelling member 33, as the rapid outward movement of the pro- In order pelling member upon expansion of the device will catch up with the ball and propel it at a speed which will depend upon the rapidity of the expansion. Where more than one player is involved the devices may be used for propelling a ball directly between the players, across a net, against a wall or in any suitable combination of these procedures which the players may desire.

The skill in catching a ball traveling through the air will increase with use of the device by a player, as will the accuracy with which the ball may be propelled along a predetermined trajectory.

The construction of the device shown in the drawings is illustrative. Many changes are possible in this construction. For example, the spring members may be replaced by other types of resilient devices and the handles I3 and I4 may be otherwise than shown. These handles may be positioned 'below the points of attachment of the wing members and preferably are covered with a material which will protect the hands of they player. All. ,of these various changes are intended to be. included in the appended claims.

1. A device of the type described, comprising a pivoted frame member, wing members pivotally attached to portions of said frame member remote from the pivoted portionthereof, and a flexible ball receiving member extending between said Wing members, .said wing members being closable to hold a ball entrapped therebetween.

2. A device of the type described, comprising a frame hingedly connectedtogether at its central portion and being provided with side. sections having handle portions, rigid wing members pivotally connected to said side sections and having their free ends extending toward the hinged portion of said frame, and a flexible ball receiving and propelling member extending between said wing members at points remote from the pivoted portions thereof.

3. A device of the type described, comprising a frame having centrally hinged side sections and handle portions spaced therefrom, rigid wing members pivotally connectedtosaid side sections, a flexible ball receiving and propelling member extending between said wing members, and means for positively retracting said flexible member into receiving position after a propelling action. 4. A deviceiof the type described, comprising rigid wing members, a flexible ball receiving and propelling member extending between said wing members, handle portions spaced from said ball receiving and propelling member by which said wing members may be caused to contract and expand, and means for biasing said Wing members toward a normal ball entrapping position.

HENRY C. HANSEN. 

